The Israeli military says two basic mistakes led to the series of drone strikes that killed seven staffers from the World Central Kitchen charity.

Two basic mistakes, according to the Israeli military. First, an officer overlooked a message detailing the vehicles in the convoy. Second, a spotter saw something in one car – possibly a bag – that he thought was a weapon. Officials say the result was the series of Israeli drone strikes that killed seven aid workers on a dark Gaza road.

The Israeli military has described the deadly strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy as a tragic error. Its explanation raises the question: If that’s the case, how often has Israel made such mistakes in its 6-month-old offensive in Gaza?

Rights groups and aid workers say Monday night’s mistake was hardly an anomaly. They say the wider problem is not violations of the military’s rules of engagement but the rules themselves.

In Israel’s drive to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7 attacks, the rights groups and aid workers say, the military seems to have given itself wide leeway to determine what is a target and how many civilian deaths it allows as “collateral damage.”

  • @Akisamb
    4•3 months ago

    More than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive, around two-thirds of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Its count doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.

    In the 33 000 figure Hamas combatants are included.

    I’d say at least 20000 innocent civilians killed since the start of the conflict. Probably more as Israel seems to be quite trigger happy on civilians.

    • @[email protected]
      11•3 months ago

      doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.

      Neither does Israel.

      I’d say that the idea that Israel has actually killed 10 000 combatants is a pretty fanciful one. I’d be surprised if they’ve even managed 5000.

    • @[email protected]
      4•3 months ago

      Probably 2/3 of the remaining, presumed Hamas terrorists 1/3 are radicalized or hungry people that do day to day chores of Hamas after seeing many loved ones die to Israel and being deliberately starved by the blockades, rather than being religious, fanatic, or other forms of ideological Hamas members. People with nothing left seeking purpose in revenge, a rise against the oppression they have been suffering for decades, trying to work out some sort of relief or aid organization in civil governmental structures, getting by thanks to being in Hamas instead of out in the streets all alone.

      I wouldn’t estimate Israel taking out more than a couple thousand core Hamas members that propagate their debatable idealogy, backed by the “collateral” standards IDF have shown throughout the last few flashpoints.